Office Furnishings

The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) invites firms to submit a Proposal for the following: The fabrication/supply, delivery, and setup of office furniture and panel systems for the WCB's office facilities located within Manitoba.

Description of Services

The Contractor will be required to fabricate, deliver, and install the Office Furnishings onsite at the WCB's office facilities, according to the timelines required for the 3 Phases of Stage 2 in the interior renovation project (details in Schedule "D"). Vendors are expected to identify in their Proposal the use of any Subcontractor which will assist with the Services.

The Contractor will be responsible for supplying and installing the Office Furnishings (and for removal of remnants and leftovers of same as indicated in the Project Manual) so that the Office Furnishings in the WCB's office facilities are operational for the WCB at dates mutually agreed upon in writing (see estimated schedule for the Packages listed with the 3 Phases of Stage 2 in the interior renovation project in Schedule "D").

The Contractor must commit to a response time to phone and email inquiries of not more than two (2) calendar days by the assigned service representative.

The WCB requires the Vendor to provide escalation costs in the Fee Schedule for the Office Furnishings in the form of a percentage base for any increase in prices over the next five (5) years.

Prior experience with and/or knowledge of the WCB's internal operations may be considered an asset in evaluating Proposals.

The Contractor must provide a written guarantee that the Office Furnishings provided will not become obsolete within the next five (5) years so as the WCB may obtain replacement items matching the Office Furnishings after the term has expired.

Any and all deficiencies which arise during the first (1st) year after acceptance of the Office Furnishings shall be corrected by the Contractor at its own cost. There shall be no charge to the WCB for these corrections. Payment for any damage caused by faulty materials and workmanship shall be covered by the Contractor directly or its liability insurance and the WCB shall be held harmless in all respects. Any repair work shall be done at a time compatible with the WCB's operations and not later than five (5) calendar days after notification. The Contractor will be responsible for servicing or arranging servicing for deficiencies on the Office Furnishings it supplies.

The quantity and type of the Office Furnishings should meet or exceed the specifications described in the Project Manual. The Project Manual is considered to represent the minimum requirements for the WCB. The Contractor shall be responsible to supply Office Furnishings that comply with the Project Manual and shall provide the manufacturer's printed literature and technical specifications. If a Vendor is unable to offer the same technical specifications, its Proposal must include the detailed technical specifications, and color photos if available, of alternatives for the Office Furnishings the Vendor can supply.

The WCB has been using Steelcase Answer Furniture Systems almost exclusively since 2013. The WCB will consider Office Furnishings that are supplied from a different manufacturer that meet or exceed the Project Manual which are similar in finishes to the existing office furnishings presently in place. Office Furnishings that are compatible with Steelcase Answer Furniture Systems may be considered an asset when evaluating Proposals.

Vendors are to provide a local Winnipeg office location that demonstrates the most suitable fit for the WCB's furniture needs and most closely matches our renovated furniture products/configurations to date. That information is to be included in the Proposal and those businesses will be looked at by the WCB's selection committee within days of the Submission Deadline. If products are not found to be a suitable match by the WCB selection committee the Vendor's Proposal will immediately fail, with no further consideration.

The Vendor's Proposal should include an overview of the key proposed resource(s) being offered to oversee the Services, including profiles of work which highlight their experience performing similar projects.

The Services shall normally be performed during Business Hours. However, the WCB may request some of the Services to be performed outside Business Hours from time to time, as deemed necessary, in the unfettered discretion of the WCB. The Contractor shall not be entitled to charge overtime rates unless specified in the Fee Schedule.

The Services shall be provided onsite at the WCB's facilities and from the Contractor's facilities located in Canada, as applicable, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Even if the Contractor is not required under The Workers Compensation Act to have and maintain workers' compensation coverage in Manitoba, the WCB shall require the Contractor to purchase and maintain workers compensation coverage for its workers who will be providing the Services in Manitoba.

It is expected the Services will be required for an initial period of five (5) years with a preferred start date of December 21, 2023.

The Services will be priced according to distinct product packages for the initial Office Furnishings deliverables, as further described in the Fee Schedule "D" (collectively the "Packages") divided as follows:
Vendors are permitted to submit prices on one or multiple individual Packages but shall bid on entire Packages only. Proposals for incomplete Packages will not be evaluated. Individual Packages may be awarded in their entirety to individual Contractors. The WCB may or may not award all of the Packages.

It is understood the WCB reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities of specified products by up to ten percent (10%), before the Contractor's placement order with the manufacturer, and upon consultation with the Contractor.

Vendors must attend onsite for a mandatory walk-through inspection of the WCB's present furniture styles, finishes and configurations at its head office located at 333 Broadway, Winnipeg, Manitoba (the "Mandatory Onsite Visit"). The WCB will provide one (1) Mandatory Onsite Visit on Thursday, November 23, 2023, commencing at 11:00 a.m. MB Time, starting in the 333 Broadway office lobby. Due to restricted access throughout the building and the need to provide all Vendors with the same information, late arrivals will not be allowed to catch up with the group once the group has left the office lobby. Vendors that have a representative attend the Mandatory Onsite Visit will be required to have their attending representatives sign a "Pledge of Confidentiality & Restriction on Use of Information" due to possible contact with WCB confidential information during the Mandatory Onsite Visit. Vendors should confirm with Ray Daumler, Director Administration Services (204-954-4444), if they plan to attend.
 

Bidding and Documents are available on http://www.merx.com. Fees may apply; See https://www.merx.com/public/pricing for more information.